Velkommen!
The Ferding Electric Story began years before original owner and founder, Cory Ferding, a native of Harron, Norway, first hung his shingle and opened the doors in 1956.
Cory saved up his money for trade school and graduated from an Electrical Technical School in 1945. After a few years spent working in the electrical field in Norway, Cory’s Uncle, Ole Williamson offered to buy the young man a ticket to visit the United States and the Ft. Pierre, South Dakota area where he owned a ranch. Cory took his uncle up on that offer and came to the Pierre/Ft. Pierre area in 1951. Cory worked on the ranch with his uncle that first summer and in the fall got a job as an apprentice electrician at the St. Mary’s School of Practical Nursing in Pierre. He worked under an early founder of the Independent Electrical Contractors Association of South Dakota, Ivan Mathis. Cory also worked for Baumgartner Electric and also for Nystrom Electric out of Sioux Falls until 1956, when he started his own business, Ferding Electric.
Cory’s work ethic and pride made him study for and pass the Electrical Contractor’s test even though he was grandfathered in. Cory was a firm believer in education and kept his apprentices involved in the IECA apprenticeship program and continuing education. To Cory’s credit more Electrical Inspectors have come out of Ferding Electric than from any other place in South Dakota.
Many changes have come about since Cory started his electrical career. One of the biggest and most important being the South Dakota Licensing Law of the late 1960s requiring electricians to seek out continuing education in order to retain and keep their licenses. This change improved wiring practices throughout the state and still today keeps our electricians educated and highly trained.
In 2003, Cory was bestowed the honor of being named as the South Dakota Electrical Council Convention’s Person of the Year.
In 2006, Ferding Electric celebrated 50 years in business. Cory retired in 2009 selling the business to and turning over the reins to current owner Scott Jacobsen who had worked for Cory beginning in 1988. The business has continued the standard of education set by Cory in those early years and has continued to grow and prosper under Scott’s leadership.
Cory remained a regular fixture at Ferding Electric until his death in January 2012 at the age of 91. Even in our new location, Cory’s presence is felt and respected, as are the standards he set so many years ago.
The Ferding Electric of today is mostly unchanged from its humble beginnings. The building and address have changed along with a few of the faces and names, but the pride in workmanship and professionalism started by Cory has remained the same.
The education will continue into the future as new and better products and practices become available. With that education, comes an increased ability to provide service to our customers in the most effective and efficient way possible.
